


Paperwhites and Wine

by Vietta



Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: F/M, FFVII Community Fanworks Exchange, Mentions of alcohol, Post Game, Pre-Advent Children, sweet and silly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 04:46:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15502605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vietta/pseuds/Vietta
Summary: Paperwhites are a flower that means good luck and happiness, while also meaning future misfortune.When he asked her on a date, she looked like he’d clubbed her over the head. The dazed ‘yes’ he’d gotten from her had bolstered his confidence for days.Then he’d nearly died at the Temple of the Ancients, and their date had to be put off until he recovered.And then they had to deal with the headache that came after Meteorfall; recovering and relocating as much of the Shinra empire to Junon as they could.Now he has no reason not to go on the date. They both live in Junon, their schedules have finally become something approaching normal, and he has no excuses for why he shouldn’t plan a date with Elena.So he plans one.





	Paperwhites and Wine

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CuracaoxCure](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuracaoxCure/gifts).



> Prompt: This can be either art or fanfic. I would like something like these two are on a date. I believe in the original game, Tseng asked Elena out for dinner at one point (Correct me if I'm wrong). This can be an opportunity to make that happen. I would like it to be something cute and funny, like how things could mess up during the date. This leaves Tseng flustered because he wants to remain professional, but Elena just laughs it off and help him see that they should have fun.
> 
> I had a lot of fun writing flustered Tseng, as it's not how Inormally see him! Thank you for the prompt.

When he asked her on a date, she looked like he’d clubbed her over the head. The dazed ‘yes’ he’d gotten from her had bolstered his confidence for days.

Then he’d nearly died at the Temple of the Ancients, and their date had to be put off until he recovered.

And then they had to deal with the headache that came after Meteorfall; recovering and relocating as much of the Shinra empire to Junon as they could. 

Now he has no reason  _ not _ to go on the date. They both live in Junon, their schedules have finally become something approaching normal, and he has  _ no excuses _ for why he shouldn’t plan a date with Elena.

So he plans one. 

And realizes he’s not planned a romantic evening for anything but work targets in nearly a decade.

It shouldn’t cause him as much anxiety as it is proving to; he feels like he’d sooner face Sephiroth again than plan out a date with a woman he very much wants to take to dinner. It’s maddening that he, the leader of the Turks, a man who has planned more assassinations than he cares to count, is suddenly at a loss for how to manage a date.

He asks Reno, and he doesn’t know if it’s a wise decision or not.

“You’re goin’ on a date?” The redhead is in his office when Tseng tracks him down, actually putting pen to paper for once.

Tseng almost wishes he had left him alone now that he sees the man is being genuinely productive.

“Yes, and I’ve come to realize I haven’t actually been on a date in  _ years. _ ” Tseng sits across from Reno in a stiff chair. The fact that the chair is uncomfortable isn’t unsettling; but the fact that it doesn’t have wheels is. 

Reno raises an eyebrow. “What about that hot brunette at that function thingy last year?”

“That doesn’t count. She was a target, not a date.” 

“Wait, you mean a date date?” Reno’s eyes go wide, “As in, you’re gettin’ romantic with somebody? For real?”

“That’s the idea, yes.” Tseng is not regretting his decision to ask Reno’s advice just yet, but he can see the regret coming in the way Reno leers at him. 

Reno leans back in his chair, and his chair  _ does _ have wheels, Tseng notes ruefully. He folds his arms behind his head and stares at the ceiling, a smirk turning the corners of his mouth. “So you’re trying to get yourself laid and want help from the master, is that it?”

Tseng wrinkles his nose in distaste. “No! I actually like the woman, Reno!” He pinches the bridge of his nose and breathes deeply. “Look, I just need advice for setting up a romantic evening. I can handle setting up a dinner, but-”

“Oh yeah?” Reno smirks, “Where ya gonna take her?”

“I was thinking about Pied a Terre down on South-”

Reno cuts him off again, shaking his head in disgust, “I thought you liked this chick! Why would you take her there?”

Tseng sputters indignantly, “It’s one of the best restaurants in town-”

“If you’re on a business lunch, maybe.” Reno scoffs, setting his feet on his desk. “Take her to Bavette’s down on Perth.”

“Bavette’s? Why Bavette’s?” 

“Alright,” Reno frowns, holds up a fist, “I’ll make an itemized list for ya. It’s dark, it’s got nice music, the steak could make a grown man cry, and they do that whole catch of the day shit too.” His fingers tick up with each reason listed, his thumb coming up last. “They also have a shitload of wine and they sell it by the bottle and knowin’ you? Well, you’re gonna need a couple bottles to get that stick out of your ass so she can actually have a good time.”

Tseng frowns and stands, “Very helpful, Reno. Thank you.”

“Lovin’ the sarcasm there, boss.” Reno sniggers as Tseng heads to the door, calling out as he retreats, “Seriously though! Bavette’s! Walk the street market or the beach or somethin’ after! Romantic shit. Evening stroll and whatnot.”

He’s halfway out the door now, but he nods before he closes it. “Alright, alright. Bavette’s for sure. I’ll think about the walk.”

 

When he makes the reservation at Bavette’s he uses his real name. He considers using an alias but that’s what he would do if this was something fake. Something for work. But he wants Elena to know it’s real, that he’s serious. 

So he puts his real name.

 

When he gets to Elena’s apartment complex he rounds the parking lot twice before selecting a spot. He’s early, but not embarrassingly so. Not after the second slow crawl through the complex parking lot. It’s one of the new apartment buildings built to handle the influx of refugees from Midgar, slapped together quickly to get people off the streets. Elena lives on the second floor and the rail is shoddy so he doesn’t use it. It’s just as well as he’s brought flowers, another recommendation or Reno’s yelled through his office door the day after he made his reservation at Bavette’s. He’d spend nearly an hour at the florists deliberating on which flowers to get her. He’d decided on a small bouquet of paperwhites and daffodils. Sweet and lightly fragrant and yellow and they remind him of her because sometimes, in the winter, she keeps a glass vase of paperwhite bulbs on her desk. They’re forced to bloom a little early, but they brighten up her space while not drawing too much attention. Simple. Modest. Very Elena.

He smooths his hair one last time before he knocks on her door; not out of vanity but out of nerves. He’s not wearing it in his usual knot, instead letting it hang loose at his shoulders. He’d set some gel into it to keep stray hairs out of his face, but he’s self conscious about it. He’d had an easy time picking what he should wear; a simple white button up and black slacks. No tie; he’s here on personal business not professional and he wants her to know that. He wants to make it as clear as possible that this is not him coming as her boss, but as a suitor. He’s trying to be considerate and gentlemanly and he hopes he comes across that way instead of coming across old-fashioned. 

When she opens the door he stands awkwardly for a moment. He’s got flowers in one hand, the other balled awkwardly at his side after knocking, and she looks  _ stunning _ . She’s wearing a teal dress; bright and joyous and beautiful while still being just as modest and practical as he’s always known Elena to be. The skirt ends just below the knee, but doesn’t constrict her legs. She has free movement and he knows she can run in the heels she’s got on because he’s seen her run in taller ones. She’s wearing a simple necklace of thick silver and she has a small purse he’s never seen before. He spends a few awkward and silent seconds taking in her appearance before remembering to offer up the flowers with a greeting. He tells her she looks lovely and watches her cheeks turn pink at the praise. He stands awkwardly again when she takes the flowers inside to put them in water. She’d invited him inside but he hesitated at the invitation and now stands awkwardly in her doorway, making a fool of himself. 

He can feel his neck turning red.

Elena doesn’t seem to mind his awkwardness. She simply puts the flowers in a vase, another one he hasn’t seen before, and then she joins him outside. He watches her lock the door, still tongue-tied because now it’s official- they’re going on a date and good Gaia above he took  _ Reno’s _ advice on where to go and the entire evening could be headed downhill from his silly door incident.

If she notices his hesitation she doesn’t let him know. Instead she leads the way to his car and isn’t that embarrassing? He’s supposed to be the one leading the date but he can barely manage to say ‘hello’?

He manages to open the door to the car for her without making things more awkward. 

 

They get through their appetizer without any further awkwardness. He’s almost confident he can make it through the rest of the date by that point. 

Then the waiter trips with another table’s wine order. 

Tseng shouldn’t have worn white.

Luckily Elena is spared.

Tseng sits in mild shock as the waiter picks himself off the floor behind him. There had been four glasses full and it seems every one of them had splashed across his shirt and his meal. How Elena had managed to stay out of the red wine’s path he would never know. The poor waiter was assisted by at least one other in dabbing at Tseng’s shirt and gathering up the sodden remnants of his meal. There was talk of comping their meal and providing fresh food for them both and he barely hears it over the blood rushing in his ears. Embarrassment hits him in waves and he can feel wine dripping into his shoes.

Tseng excuses himself to the bathroom to try and rescue his shirt.

He thinks hard about climbing out the window.

When he returns they have fresh food for the table. The candle has been relit and Elena is still there, waiting patiently and sipping at freshly poured wine. He sits and covers what he can of the mess on his shirt with a napkin. She giggles at him and reaches for his hand across the table once he’s done, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Tseng?”

“Yes, Elena?” His face is still bright red with embarrassment and shame.

“Embrace the stain.” She’s giggling and she’s rubbing her thumb across the back of his hand. “The napkin isn’t even a band-aid.”

“R-right.” He slides the napkin into his lap.

“And Tseng?”

“Yes?”

She smiles and it’s vibrant and bright and the candlelight catches her eyes and were they always such a deep brown?

“I’m having a lovely time.”

He can feel his face flush over and he smiles back, holding her hand in his. “Glad to hear it.”


End file.
